“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Dog and Pony

It is raining and the temperature is dropping! Praise the Lord. I have been awol from my blog for the last few weeks. Time gets away from me this time of year. I walked into Lowe's last night and they are decked out for Christmas!! What the heck? My brain cannot even go that direction right now. So many things to post about that have been going on in our lives but today I am on a rant. Just what everybody wants to hear, right? I love my job. I know without a doubt I am fulfilling God's call on my life right now. BUT....... some days I wonder why do I do this????? Yesterday I am certain I could have walked to the office and said, "Hey I am done. Not just for today, but for the year. And all the ones to come after that!" Then I remember I can't. Baby girl is still there. Bill still must be paid. Benefits are needed. And, oh yeah, I do love my job.

The last several weeks have been very frustrating. I teach great kids. GREAT KIDS. I cannot stress that enough. Actually I feel all kids are great, some of them just don't know it yet. There is one particular group I teach that are so fun, but they cannot stop talking. They feel the need to comment on everything, to make an inappropriate comment about everything, to behave ten years younger than their age but want to be treated like adults. As my granny would say, "They slap wore me out yesterday." Could not get them interested in what we were doing in any way and I don't have issues that way. Then I question my teaching and that really makes me mad. Not that I am above reproach or above bettering my self as a teacher, but I can make all things relevant.

Why the frustration? Well, today (after yesterday) I had to go to an inservice where we were instructed that kids are different these days and whether we like it or not we have to teach differently. I can embrace that . BUT THEN....... we were told, "Gone are the days of the teacher having the students respect just by virtue of being the teacher. We have to EARN THEIR RESPECT."

EXCUSE ME? It was further stated that we have to make the students understand the relevance of what we are teaching so that they can feel it is worth their time. - I think my head almost spun off my shoulders. That is a problem with this generation - that they think they have to be entertained all the time and hey teacher if you aren't putting on a dog and pony show that I feel is "worth my time" I am going to talk, make inappropriate comments, and basically let you know you are wasting my time and make your day miserable.

This is not true of all students, but if the teaching pendulum is swinging toward what I mentioned we are going to have issues. You know when I was in school if a teacher said, "Would you pick that book up for me?" I would have done it and not responded with, "That is not mine." Or if I didn't see eye to eye with a teacher I could voice that at home but I still had to be respectful to them. They were an authority figure. And if they abused their authority there were appropriate measures to be taken by my parents.

I don't want anyone to have pity on teachers or think I am complaining - well I am complaining so scratch that, but I do want people to see that we need to make kids understand they have to be accountable. Even adults are accountable. I wonder what your boss would think if you said, "Hey, you really need to make me understand why this task you gave me is relevant because, hey I am just not feeling it today." Umm..... I think it is called a paycheck! And not everything in life is supposed to be "WOW this is so exciting" Even though I cannot understand why Shakespeare doesn't knock everyone's socks off :)!

Sometimes I wonder where we are headed as a nation. Sometimes I wonder where education is headed. And I really wonder how long my "dog and pony skills" can hold out.

My Sweet man and me

Jeremy, Laura, Graham, Caroline and Sarah Kate

Josh, Christine and Paige

Jodi, Brent and Connor

Baby Girl is a College Girl!

The Original Four

Two of My Greatest Loves

The Girls

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About Me

First, I am a sinner saved by grace, I am a wife, a mother of four, mother-in-love of two, and grandmother of two precious boys, two precious girls and another grandgirl on the way!!. I have a husband I adore and am so blessed by the Lord with the family he brought to me that it is just overwhelming. I am a woman after God's heart and desire more than anything to live out the plan and purpose He has for me. I am crazy about being with my family, we have such a great time together and I just thank the Lord for them daily. I am a high school English teacher and love my job tremendously. So many great kids have walked through my classroom doors and have left an imprint on my life. I love to laugh and cherish every minute of every day.